In its “State of the Wine Industry Report 2020” recently released, Silicon Valley Bank predicts that an oversupply of grapes will trigger widespread discounts for U.S. consumers, providing them with the best wine retail values in 20 years.
Now in its 19th year, the annual report assesses current conditions in the wine industry and uses proprietary research and economic and behavioral trends to forecast the coming year.
Among the report’s highlights:
» The 2019 harvest likely produced normal to slightly-below-normal yields in California, and below-normal yields in Oregon and Washington. However, these lower yields won’t help the oversupply.
» The large millennial population has yet to embrace wine, presenting the industry with its largest growth opportunity.
» Seventy-one percent of wineries called 2019 a good year, and 24 percent said it was their best year in history. At the same time, more and more wineries are reporting poor financial results.
» Oversupply, combined with diminished growth in demand, will trigger removal of vineyards and reduced returns for growers in most regions.
“Today, the wine supply chain is stuffed,” said Rob McMillan, founder of SVB’s wine division and the report’s author. “This oversupply, coupled with eroding consumer demand, can only lead to discounting of finished wine, bulk wine and grapes. U.S. wine consumers will discover unprecedented retail value in 2020 and should buy up.”
Bedford Winery to Celebrate ‘Mushrooms Gone Wild’
Noted food author Betty Fussell will join winemaker Stephan Bedford for the latter’s annual “Mushrooms Gone Wild” event, celebrating the edible fungi, in Los Alamos on Saturday, Jan. 25.
The festivities will start at 2 p.m. at Bedford Winery’s tasting room and courtyard, 448 Bell St. The cost is $65 per person; $50 for wine club members. For reservations, call 805.344.2107 or email tastingroom@bedfordwinery.com.
From the science to the plate, Bedford and his team take mushrooming to a new level, reveling in mushroom-centric dishes and Bedford wine.
Each year, “local” and cultivated mushrooms are the stars of the show, along with others brought from Oregon. Dried and fresh, the multitude of varieties will include chanterelles, hedgehogs, shitake, porcini, oyster, maitake, candy cap, huitlacoche and black trumpet.
Small plates ranging from simple grilled buttons to complex layered patés and stews will be prepared by the Bedford Culinary Kitchen and served throughout the event.
Dishes this year were inspired by Fussell, a local resident and icon in the food world. Best known for her book “The Story of Corn,” Fussell has authored 12 books, ranging from biography to cookbooks, food history and memoir.
Noted mushroom expert Bob Cummings will be present for those interested in expanding their knowledge. Vendor Branden’s Gourmet Mushrooms will offer local mushrooms for purchase, and The Truffle Lady will be back with her packaged truffle items.
Winemaker Neil Collins Named ‘Wine Industry Person of the Year’
On Jan. 23, the Paso Robles wine community will unite to recognize one of their own who has exemplified the spirit of Paso Robles Wine Country with outstanding leadership and vision.
Neil Collins, winemaker/owner of Lone Madrone, winemaker and vineyard manager at Tablas Creek Vineyard, and proprietor of Bristols Cider, will receive the Paso Robles Wine Industry Person of the Year award at the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance’s annual gala.
Collins has been an advocate for the Paso Robles American Viticultural Area for more than 20 years. His winemaking has played an important role in introducing wines of balance and elegance from Paso Robles to a global audience.
“To be nominated for this award and then to be chosen by my peers as the 2019 Wine Industry Person of the Year is, at once, surprising, humbling and a great honor,” Collins said. “The Paso Robles wine community has always been good to me and to my family. I have been able to achieve successes far beyond my expectations, a few healthy failures along the way also! All with the support and encouragement of this community. I have strived to repay this by promoting and championing this great region before all else. I look forward to watching the continued growth in the reputation of our appellation as the very best in California and beyond. Thank you all so very much, my friends and neighbors.”
The evening also will feature the installation of the alliance’s 2020 board of directors and executive committee, and recognition of departing board members.
Peachy Canyon Winery Hires Director of Wine Sales
Peachy Canyon Winery has announced Skylar Stuck, a 30-year wine industry veteran, as its new director of sales.
Stuck has spent the past 23 years building brands and promoting wines crafted in Paso Robles and on the Central Coast.
Most recently, Stuck was general manager of Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz. Before that, he worked in Paso Robles as general manager at Halter Ranch Vineyard for seven years and as senior vice president/export director at Hope Family Wines.
“I am very humbled that Josh and Jake (Beckett) asked me to join them at Peachy Canyon at this particular time, since there is such an exciting vibe abuzz at their winery. With the proverbial ‘generational baton’ just having been passed to them from their parents, Doug and Nancy Beckett, there is a lot of change afoot,” Stuck said.
Stuck, a resident of Atascadero, is a native of Portland, Ore. He sits on the board of directors for the Foundation for the Performing Arts Center at Cal Poly and is on both the advisory board of WiVi and the trade committee of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance.
Peachy Canyon Winery was established in Paso Robles in 1988. Today, the Beckett family farms 102 acres in five separate vineyards within the Willow Creek, Adelaida and Templeton Gap sub-AVAs. Although best known as a producer of vineyard-designated zinfandels, Peachy Canyon also produces award winning Bordeaux and Rhone varietal blends.
— Laurie Jervis blogs about wine at www.centralcoastwinepress.com, tweets at @lauriejervis and can be reached via winecountrywriter@gmail.com. The opinions expressed are her own.